Croix and into a little creek at some distance
from the fort, because at the regular landing place there were always
some English soldiers strolling about for lack of anything better to do.
It was with some trepidation that Pierre set out for the creek. The
little girl walked between her dear protector and their host, holding
a hand of each, and chattering about everything she saw, till with
great effort Breboeuf got her to understand that if she didn't keep
quite quiet, and not say a word to anybody till they got safely away,
in the boat, something dreadful might happen to her Pierre. She was
dressed like any of the little Acadian maidens of Piziquid, and her
blue cap of quilted linen was so tied on as to hide her sunny hair
and much of her face; but the danger was that she might betray herself
by her speech.
Before the party reached the boat they had a narrow escape from detection.
They were met by three or four soldiers who were strolling across the
marsh. In passing they gave Breboeuf a hearty good-day in English, and
one of them called Edie his "little sweetheart." The child looked up with
a laugh, and cried, coquettishly, "Not yours! I'm Pierre's." Then, as
Breboeuf squeezed her hand sharply, she remembered his caution and said
no more, though her small heart was filled with wonder to think she might
not talk to the nice soldiers.
"Why, where did the baby learn her English?" asked the soldier in a tone
of surprise. "_You_ never taught her, I'll be bound.
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